You might be wondering why a software architect and former programmer is interested in behaviors that cultivate trust. I believe trust is fundamental to effective interactions and relationships. Professionally, personally, and academically, I am motivated to apply lessons from software architecture and research on human-computer interaction to improve the ways we interact.
This post focuses on spatial awareness and how behaviors relating to one’s awareness of space can influence interactions happening within it. It is important to understand the different types of spaces and how interactions in them encourage trust and engagement.
Types of spaces
We generally work and interact with people and things in three types of spaces.
- Physical spaces
- Digital spaces
- Mental spaces
Physical spaces, the domain of traditional architecture, includes our office, cubes, home offices, building, meeting rooms. The spaces offer certain affordances like chairs, tables, whiteboards (often with no markers), and speakerphones or conferencing hardware. The number of microphones, position of camera (if there is one), and arrangement of tables all influence the quality and effectiveness of interactions in that space.
Digital spaces are the places where we store files, organize meeting notes, author blog posts, write reference documentation, store code, etc. All the things we store in digital spaces require applications to access and manipulate those things, all this happening within the context of other digital spaces. Conferencing, chat, and texting applications are becoming our common digital spaces where we interact in real time and shared cloud storage solutions where we interact asynchronously with shared artifacts.
Mental spaces correspond to the intellectual domains associated with digital and physical spaces. I realize this might be stretching the definition of “space” but it’s necessary to discussing trust in relation to spaces. Our willingness to be open and trusting with others is influenced by our mental space interacting with the physical and digital spaces we share. Getting one’s head in the game to discuss critical business strategy might mean gathering in a quiet, neutral venue versus a noisy bar during happy hour.
Interactions in these spaces
The types of things we interact with in these spaces share similar qualities in that things are arranged, visible, hidden, organized, unorganized, etc. It’s easy to think about these qualities in physical spaces; are there places to sit, are seats arranged in a way supporting discussion or instruction, are there plugs for people if laptops are being used.
In digital spaces, the things are documents, spreadsheets, web pages, PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, recordings. The way we interact with things in the digital space is through applications. These applications support behaviors similar to those of the physical space. They allow for viewing, sharing, collaborating on the things. The items in the digital space, similar to physical space, have histories and metadata about their use which communicates something about them and their value to others.
As I’ve become more aware of how digital spaces are places, I’ve paid more attention to the experience others might have encountering these spaces. When I create a new space in SharePoint, or add a directory in a shared directory structure, I’ve started creating a README.docx file where I put my name, date, and some words for why that directory or channel was created. My goal is to help orient new comers to the space. The bathroom is over there, the creamer in the fridge is shared, and here is how you make coffee when it’s out.
Behaviors that cultivate trust
There are behaviors shared among the three types of spaces which when observed cultivate feelings of trust, confidence, and reliability.
- The space is organized and intentionally structured
- Content of the space is accessible and open
- The space is designed for a purpose
- The space is cared for, attended, and used
Digital spaces might be a project on GitHub, a MediaWiki instance on your company Intranet, or a shared Dropbox or Google folder. When interacting with artifacts or content in these spaces, you’re looking for evidence of activity, engagement, structure, commitment. An organized space with visible activity, design, and structure communicates life and encourages engagement.
These qualities work for mental spaces as well. Think about trying to organize a training for a new technology that isn’t well understood. Giving thought to how information is shared, the order in which learning takes place, the context in which the learning is useful, or respect for those who’ve contributed to the subject; these behaviors show others that the topic is important and coming from a trustworthy ‘place.’
In Summary
Being aware of how physical, digital, and mental spaces influence our interactions with others can help us improve those spaces. How things in any of these spaces (pictures, files, ideas) are arranged communicate whether the place and things in it are cared for and deserving of similar care and respect.
When you take time to consider the interests of others and how interactions will take place in spaces, you can improve outcomes and engagement. When you find or create a space, be it a new subject, an updated meeting room, or a renovated home office with a stand-up desk…give some thought to how others will interact within that space and prepare it for them. Doing so can promote openness and trust.